Rugby league reporter

One of the world's most iconic cricket grounds will on Friday begin its 20-day transformation into a baseball field fit for Major League Baseball's season opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Sydney Cricket Ground will receive one of the biggest makeovers in its long history, with ground staff expected to work around the clock to ensure the venue is up to standard for the first match of the tour on March 20.

There is plenty of work that has and still needs to go into the overhaul – including locker room makeovers, temporary seating and surface replacement – but perhaps the biggest challenge has been sourcing the clay that makes up the pitcher's mound and infield.

Six months of experimentation went into trying to mix a blend of clay and synthetic material that complies with MLB standards.

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However the best efforts of three Australian specialists couldn't produce the right blend, forcing tour promoters Moore Sports to import clay from the United States.

"The issue with it is that we tried to mix the materials locally here first," Moore Sports chief executive Jason Moore said.

"Because of the geology of Australia, we just couldn't come up with the same material that was up to MLB standard. We weren't able to locally mix the materials despite the efforts of three technicians that are experts in these sorts of materials. For the pure fact of the geology of the Australian soil and Australian rock is different to that in the northern hemisphere, we just couldn't do it.

"Hence why we had to bring it in from the States and follow special quarantine guidelines. We spent six months trying to do it here with at least 10 trials with the three different specialists in the field. We were sourcing materials from all over because it's a mixture of many different elements, which the MLB keep to themselves. It's not public knowledge, it's like the colonel's herbs and spices."

In order to adhere to Australia's strict quarantine guidelines, the clay – which was sourced from San Diego – had to be extracted from five metres below the surface.

It was an assignment that finally came to an end when more the clay cleared customs and quarantine to arrive at the SCG.

"It was sourced under quarantine guidelines from San Diego," Moore said.

"Because of the risk of contamination, we had to dig five metres below the surface to extract the clay. That's only one component of what's in the actual material. Part of it is synthetic material. It was shipped over in 17 containers in 251 one tonne bags."

Almost 300 tonnes of locally-sourced, crushed triple-washed terracotta will be used to make up the warning track, with around 3560 square metres of the SCG surface to be removed to install the infield clay and warning track.

After the last game of the tour between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers on March 23, 5000 square metres of grass that has been growing at a Hawkesbury turf farm for the past 12 months will be installed to ensure the ground is ready for the Sydney Swans' first AFL game at the ground on April 13.

A limited number of tickets are still available for the Diamondbacks and Dodgers matches on March 22 and 23. Team Australia play the Dodgers on March 20 and the Diamondbacks on March 21.

26 comments so far

Um... why?

Commenter

Spot

Location

Sydney

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 2:09AM

SCG will look great for this game, although I think the distance to the left field fence may come up short in distance so there may be a few home runs.

Commenter

Lasorda

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 3:28AM

I think it will easily get past 325 feet (100.7m) MLB minimum. It will be interesting to see how high they build the outfield fence.

Commenter

ST

Location

Sydney

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 11:53AM

I hope the Yanks appreciate the effort we are putting in.

Commenter

Ace Qwerty

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 4:01AM

Based on the comments from some of their star players and the media in the US, it doesn't look like they will appreciate our efforts. Hopefully the crowd does the right Aussie thing and boo them like they booed Rafael Nadal.

Commenter

Stevie B

Location

Sydney

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 10:23AM

No wonder the ticket prices are so ridiculously high. Over$400 for a family of 4 to get grandstand seating. Yet we've seen the Yankees and the Giants play in their own staduims, with tickets behind the dugouts for the same price.

Commenter

Spottyb

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 7:01AM

What a colossal waste of money, resources and energy. Instead of adapting to local environment and introducing the 'surprise' element the league deemed it fit to create a replica of a US stadium here. Perhaps why the World Baseball League will forever remain confined to the US unlike cricket with its multitude of pitches and playing surfaces.

Commenter

Banta Singh

Location

Harris Park

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 7:08AM

Yes Exactly ! ( and I sincerely hope the stadium is empty and they make a huge loss ! )

Commenter

DG.leave them in the USA please !

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 11:37AM

1. It will make millions, and it will benefit Sydney's economy.2. Clay of the required nature is available in the Northern Hemisphere in many countries.The MLB is the very height of the sport, and has certain requirments that other leagues might bend on.3. If you don't like it fine, but many Australians play, watch and generally enjoy baseball. You know what you can do with your desire to not allow them to come? You can take and place it carefully in a box marked "my irrational opinions". That's a good place for it.

Commenter

Jon

Date and time

February 27, 2014, 1:35PM

Please keep these Yank baseball teams out of Australia. Baseball is more boring than cricket and that's saying something. Most American "sports" are either contrived or they are fake. Look at that idiotic WWE wrestling. To think that millions of people actually follow that garbage leaves me gobsmacked. Nah, we don't need the Yanks here with their boring nonsense.